CON PADERNO

CIOCCOLATO
CHOCOLATE
A BRIEF HISTORY
Once a valuable and appreciated privilege of the Aztec emperors, chocolate remained
unknown in Europe until the middle of the sixteenth century. It was discovered by
Herman Cortes who introduced it to the Spanish court of King Charles V in the form of an
exquisite sugared hot beverage. Only two centuries later did it appear in the form of bars.
Chocolate is now a delight to the palate for children and adults alike.
ODDITIES
Various studies confirm the health-giving properties of chocolate. The National Food and
Nutrition Research Institute in Rome claims that plain chocolate is good for the heart
because it increases the concentration of antioxidants in the blood by 20%. Roberto Corti
of the University of Zurich has demonstrated that plain chocolate delays the hardening of
arteries in smokers, thus limiting the risk of heart disease. A German study claims that
the polyphenols contained in plain chocolate reduces blood pressure. Chocolate, lastly,
contains phenylethylamine which give people a more positive outlook on life.